Turkish Abductions

Common card · No. 219162

The Turkish Abductions (Icelandic: Tyrkjaránið [ˈtʰɪr̥caˌrauːnɪθ]) were a series of slave raids by pirates from Algiers and Salé that took place in Iceland in the summer of 1627. The adjectival label "Turkish" (Icelandic: Tyrkja) does not refer to ethnic Turks, the country of Turkey or Turkic peoples in general; at the time it was a general term for all Muslims of the Mediterranean since the majority were from or subjects of the Ottoman Empire. The pirates came from the cities of Algiers and Salé. They raided Grindavík, the East Fjords, and Vestmannaeyjar. About 51 people were killed and close to 400 captured and sold into slavery. Ransoms were eventually paid, 9 to 18 years later, for the release of 50 individuals.

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